The Florida Panthers were without star forward Matthew Tkachuk for Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights on Tuesday night in Las Vegas.
The Panthers are in a do-or-die situation Tuesday, down three games to one in the best-of-seven finals.
Tkachuk is dealing with an apparent upper-body injury and missed much of the third period of Game 4 on Saturday in Sunrise, Fla. Tkachuk also was sidelined for part of Game 3 due to a possible head injury.
He didn’t practice on Monday, and come Tuesday’s morning skate, Panthers coach Paul Maurice told reporters that he knew Tkachuk’s status but wouldn’t share it until game time.
Tkachuk, 25, has recorded a team-leading 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) in 20 playoff games.
He also posted career-high totals in assists (69) and points (109) in his first season with Florida after he was acquired in an offseason trade that sent Jonathan Huberdeau to Calgary.
“He’s a huge player for our team,” Florida captain Aleksander Barkov said of Tkachuk, a finalist for the Hart Trophy. “No matter what, everyone has to step up a little bit and play a little better than we’ve been. It doesn’t matter what happens. As a whole group, we’ve just got to play a little better. (We have to) shoot more pucks, be more aggressive offensively, do better defensively, all that kind of stuff.”
–Field Level Media
